Night-Time Fears
by Ally R. Swan
Summary: Seven year old Henry has some fears. Regina wants to help him face those little fears, but also be there to comfort him when he really needs it. One-Shot.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time or any of its characters.**

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Regina's POV

"Mom!" I heard Henry call out for me and within half a second I was on my feet and I quickly went down the hallway and to his bedroom.

I opened the door and found Henry sitting up in bed, clutching the blanket over him tightly, holding it just below his nose and trembling as he stared wide eyed in the direction of his closet door. He glanced over at me and back in that direction.

"Henry, what's wrong?" I asked, stepping inside.

"I…I think there's a m-monster in my closet." Henry trembled on the words.

"Henry, there is no monster." I sighed. "I think you just had a bad dream."

"No, I wasn't asleep." Henry shook his head, continuing to keep his position, barely taking his eyes off the closet. "Can you check?"

"Henry, monsters aren't real." I replied.

"Can you please check?" Henry insisted.

I nodded and then opened his closet door, flipping the light switch that was outside the closet door so the light in the closet turned on. I looked inside. There were clothes hanging up with a small pile of dirty clothes on the left corner of the floor along with a few of Henry's toys in there; but no monster. I turned the light off after making sure Henry saw me looking.

"No monsters."

"You're sure?" Henry asked and I nodded, sitting on the edge of his bed.

"You're safe, Henry." I ran my fingers through his short brown hair and smiled slightly at him as he laid back, seeming to relax. "There are no monsters here. Now get some sleep."

He shut his eyes. I waited a few minutes before getting up to leave. I left the door open a crack just in case he needed to call for me again, though I knew he wouldn't. The last few weeks is when he started this. Every night there was something that was scaring him. If it wasn't the monster in his closet, it was the monster hiding under his bed. I had thought he would have grown out of it by now, but he was still insistent that there were monsters and he always had me check for them.

I don't know what has gotten into him to make him so afraid but I wanted to resolve them. I didn't like my boy being so afraid every night when I left his bedroom.

The next night, I had put him to bed or I at least attempted to before he stopped me from leaving. I had just turned out the light.

"Don't turn out the light!" Henry said.

"How will you go to sleep with the light on?" I asked. I certainly wouldn't be able to sleep with these lights on.

"I don't want it off." Henry insisted.

I sighed and turned the light back on. I looked at the light and then back at Henry, whom seemed to relax slightly with the lamp back on. I wasn't sure how he would sleep with this on, but I decided not to fight it, at least for that night. I just wanted him to get to sleep.

The night after that, it was a similar story. He didn't want to lamp off. He was too afraid to sleep in the dark. So again, I left it on, at least for a while. I would check in on him and once I was sure he was asleep I would turn the lamp off. Of course, then I would hear him call me back into his room later because he was afraid of the monsters getting him and he wanted me to check.

I continued to do this for one more night until I decided I couldn't let this go on and I had to make Henry see there was nothing to be afraid of. I had to get him to face some of these fears.

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"Mom!" I heard Henry cry out for me and I went into his bedroom, switching the light on. Instead of looking wide eyed at the closet, he was curled up with his knees against his chest. I knew then it wasn't the closet he wanted me to check this time; tonight he was more afraid of the monster under his bed.

"What's wrong, Henry?" I asked.

"There's a monster under my bed." Henry answered.

"Henry, there aren't any monsters." I told him.

"You didn't check." Henry pointed out.

"Okay, let's check." I said and he looked at me, slightly confused. "Henry, come here. You _and_ I are going to check."

Henry shook his head with obvious tears in his eyes, "No, the monster will get me!"

I walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. "Henry, look at me." I instructed, making sure my voice was stern, but calm. Henry eventually looked up at me after a few moments of pondering. "Henry, I'm your mother. I would never let anything hurt you. I certainly wouldn't let anyone or anything take you away from me. You know that right?" I asked and he nodded. He seemed to understand. "Now I just want to show you that there is nothing to fear."

I held out my hand and he took it, without much hesitation. I pulled him to his feet and then we got down on the floor. I pulled the sheet up and then shined a light under the bed with the flashlight Henry had been keeping next to his bed. We both looked under there and there was nothing but a few things that belonged to Henry and a few pieces of paper.

"Do you see any monsters under here?" I asked and Henry shook his head. I then walked him over to the closet where I did a similar thing. I asked him the same question. "Do you see any monsters in your closet?" I asked and like before Henry shook his head.

I crouched down so I was eye level with Henry. "See Henry? There are no monsters. There are no such thing of monsters, so there is nothing to be afraid of."

Henry smiled slightly. He didn't seem to be scared anymore.

I got him back into bed and kissed him on the forehead. "Get some sleep, Henry." I stood up and then turned the light out.

"Mom, can I have the light on?" Henry asked.

"You don't have to be afraid of the dark, Henry. There are no monsters or anything that can hurt you. Remember, I wouldn't let anything hurt you." I reminded him.

"I—I know, but I'd feel better with the light on." Henry insisted.

I sighed but nodded. We would take this one step at a time. Squash one fear at a time. I walked over to the desk across the room from his bed. He had a small lamp there. I turned it on; I figured that might be a good compromise.

"We'll leave this one on."

Henry seemed satisfied as he laid back down and shut his eyes. I smiled as I stood there, leaning against the door frame for a few minutes, just watching him; when I was sure he was okay, I left the room, leaving the door open a crack just in case he needed me. Though I felt relieved that I had managed to resolve one of his fears tonight.

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Henry's POV

Lightning struck and thunder crashed. I woke up from the loud noise and then watched out my window as the bright lightning filled the sky. I pulled my blankets closer and clutched them tightly. The wind and rain got stronger as I heard them hitting my window. I watched as the giant oak tree outside my window started rocking, making that creaking noise. That's when I noticed that the lamp that my mom had left on, was off. I always hated the creaking sounds that tree made. I hate storms and I really hate the dark.

"Mom!" I called and waited a few moments. She didn't come. _She usually came quicker than that. _When she didn't come in, I felt even more scared. "Mom?" I called again, not much louder than the last time that I called. I didn't hear her footsteps down the hallway, I only heard the storm outside and it seemed to be getting worse and worse.

_Is she not going to come? Did she just not hear me because of how loud the storm is? Maybe she won't come because I get scared too easily now? _I wasn't sure which the right answer was and I was afraid of the real answer. I didn't want to be scared. I didn't choose to be scared. But I am scared. I don't like this storm and I don't like being alone in the dark.

I don't want to be alone.

"MOMMY!" I yelled this time as I felt the tears in my eyes run down my cheeks. I really hope she would come in. I don't want to be alone tonight.

Regina's POV

I woke up the moment the power went out. I tried turning my lamp on, but with no such luck. I sat up and looked out my window and there seemed to be quite the storm out there. I got up and decided to go outside and take a look. I wanted to see how bad it was. I put on a robe and then opened the front door. It was like a war outside. _Who the hell pissed off Zeus?_ Thunder, Lightning, Wind, Rain. It did not look or sound too good out there. I can't believe Henry was still asleep through this. I knew normally on a regular day how much he hated the sound that tree made when the wind hit it or the dark. With how this storm is and the power being out, I doubt most kids would be alright during this.

_Is Henry alright?_ I couldn't hear anything besides the storm raging from outside. _I better go check on him._ I just had this feeling that I should check on him. I know how he has been about the dark lately and with this storm, I was worried about him. If he was fine, there was no harm done if I went to check. I started to head up the stairs and before I could reach the top is when I heard Henry scream for me.

"MOMMY!"

_I'm coming baby. _

I ran down the hallway and into his room. I saw him curled up on his bed, trembling as tears streamed down his face.

"Oh Henry," I said as I went over to his bed and embraced Henry in my arms, holding him tightly as he began to cry into my shoulder. "It's alright, you're okay."

"I…called…but…you…didn't…come" Henry cried.

"Oh Henry, I didn't hear you. The storm is pretty bad." I told him as rubbed circles on his back, attempting to calm him down.

"I…I…didn't…w-wanna…be…alone." Henry trembled. He was shaking and without a doubt, he was really scared; I hated seeing him so scared.

"You won't be." I said as another flash of lightning filled the sky and then the thunder hit. I felt Henry grip onto me tighter than he had been a moment ago.

"Don't…Don't leave me, mommy." Henry cried. It hurt hearing and seeing how scared he was.

"I won't. I won't let anything hurt you, Henry." I promised, holding him tightly. I let go slightly, essentially cradling his head with my one hand. I then kissed his forehead. I looked at Henry and stroked his cheeks with my thumb, wiping away his tears. I smiled at him slightly. "I know what will make you feel better."

I took Henry in my arms and brought him downstairs. He was getting heavy, but I knew it would put him at more ease, so it was worth the struggle. I brought him into the kitchen, setting him down for a moment as I went and started to make one of his favorite drinks: Hot chocolate with cinnamon. I put the mug in front of him and he took it. I didn't normally make it for him as I wasn't a fan of hot chocolate myself or giving him too much sugar, but this put a smile on his face for a moment and that was definitely worth it.

He drank a good portion of it and he seemed to be looking better.

"Feeling better?" I ask.

"A little." Henry replied.

Then another crash of thunder and Henry jumped.

"I'm right here. It's okay." I reassured him and he clung to me anyways, which I didn't mind. If that's what Henry took comfort in right now, I wouldn't object.

I took him back upstairs after a little while. We spent the night together in my room. I knew well he wouldn't go back to his room quietly. Not with this storm. I knew he wouldn't want me to leave him, so I might as well keep him close in the comfort of my bedroom. I kept him wrapped in my arms with the blankets around both of us.

"It'll be okay, Henry. Remember I'll never let anything hurt you." I reminded him as I ran my fingers through his hair and I kissed his forehead. "I will be here to help you face your fears. And I am here to hold you when you get scared. Always. I will always be here for you. I love you, Henry."

"I love you too." Henry mumbled. He was getting tired and he clearly didn't feel as scared anymore for tonight.

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**A/N: I got the idea after watching an episode in season 6. I just adore Henry and Regina's relationship, so I wanted to play around with something. **

**Please don't forget to review.**


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